6alpha-fluoro-pregnanes and intermediates in the preparation thereof



United States Patent 3,043,582 Ga-FLUGRO-PREGNANES AND HQTERMEDIATES IN THE PREPARATION THEREGF Robert Joly, Montrnorency, .lnlien Warnant, Neuiily-sur- Seine, and Bernard Gotlinet, Paris, France, assignors, by mesne assignments, to Roussei-UCLAF, S.A., Paris,

France, a corporation of France No Drawing. File-d Aug. 30, 1361, Ser. No. 134,836 Claims priority, appiication France Sept. 6, 1960 9 Claims. (Cl. 26tl239.55)

The invention relates to novel 6a-fluoro-pregnanes having the formula F wherein R is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, an acyl radical of a mineral acid and an acyl radical of an organic carboxylic acid having 1 to 18 carbon atoms. The invention further relates to a novel process for the preparation of the 6u-fluoro-pregnanes of Formula I and novel intermediates.

The 6e-fiuoro-pregnanes of Formula I possess antiinfiammatory activity.

It is an object of the invention to provide novel 6afluoro-pregnanes of Formula I.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel process for the preparation of the 6a-fiuoro-pregnames of Formula. I.

It is an additional object of the invention to provide novel intermediates for the 6u-fluoro-pregnanes of Formula I.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become obvious from the following detailed description.

The 6a-fiu0ro-pregnanes of the invention have the formula CHzOR wherein R is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, an acyl radical of a mineral acid and an acyl radical of an organic carboxylic acid having 1 to 18 carbon atoms.

The acyl radical of the organic carboxylic acid having 1 to 18 carbon atoms may be derived from an aliphatic,

3,48,58Z Z a-tented Aug. 7, 1952 aromatic, cycloaliphatic or heterocyclic carhoxylic acid. Examples of suitable acids are alkanoic acids such as formic acid, acetic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid, isobutyric acid, valeric acid, isovaleric acid, trimethyl acetic acid, caproic acid, ,B-t-rimethyl propionic acid, heptanoic acid, caprylic acid, pelarginic acid, capric acid, undecyclic acid, lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid and stearic acid; alkenoic acids such as undecylenic acid and oleic acid; cycloalkyl carboxylic acids such as cyclopentyl carboxylic acid, cyclopropyl carboxylic acid, cyclobutyl carboxylic acid and cyclohexyl carboxylic acid, cyclohexyl acetic acid, cyclopentyl propionic acid and cyclohexyl propionic acid; arylalkanoic acids such as phenyl acetic acid and phenyl propionic acid; aryl carboxylic acids such as benzoic acid and 2,4-dir1it-robenzoic acid; phenoxy alkanoic acids suchas phenoxy acetic acid, p-chlorophenoxy acetic acid, 2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid, 4-ter-butylphenoxy acetic acid, 3-phenoXy propionic acid and 4- phenoxy butyric acid; heterocyclic carboxylic acids such as furane-Z-carboxylic acid, 5-ter-butylfurane-2-carboxylic acid, 5-bro1nofurane-2-carboxylic acid and nicotinic acids; fi-ketoalkanoic acids, such as acetylacetic acid, propionylacetic acid and butyrylacetic acid; amino acids such as diethylarninoacetic acid and aspartic acid. Examples of other suitable acids are sulfonic acids, phosphoric acid, nitric acid and sulfuric acid.

The process of the invention comprises reacting 2'1- acyloXy 16cc methyl-M-pregneneil1,20-trione wherein the acyl radical is derived from an organic carboxylic acid having 1 to 18 carbon atoms with a lower alkylene glycol to form the 3-lower alkylene ketal of 2l-acyloxy- 16a-methyl-A -pregnene-3,11,20-trione, epoxidizing the said 3-ketal to form the 3-lower alkylene ketal of 50:,600- epoxy-Zl-acyloxyl6a-methyl-pregnane-3,l 1,20-trione, reacting the latter with hydrofluoric acid in a polar solvent such as an N,N-dilower alkyl lower alkanoic acid amide to form 6 3-fluoro-2 l-acyloxy-l6a-methyl-pregnane-5a-ol- 3,11,20-trione, dehydrating the latter under acidic conditions to form 6a-fiuoro-2l-acetoxy-16a-methyl-A -pregnene-3,l1,20-trione, saponifying the latter to form cfluoro 16a methyl-M-pregnene-Zl-ol-3,11,20-trione and recovering the latter. The free alcohol may be esterified in the usual manner such as with an acid .anhydride or acid halide to obtain the desired esters.

A preferred mode of the process of the invention comprises reacting ethylene glycol with 21-acetoXy-l6a methyl-A -pregnene-3,l1,20-trione to form 3-ethylene dioxy-Zl-acetoxy-l6a-methyl-A -pregnene-11,20-dione, oxidizing the latter with perphthalic acid to form S-ethylene dioxy 504,605 epoxy-2l-acetoxy-16a-methyl-pregnane-l1, ZO-dione, reacting the latter With hydrofluoric acid in dimethylformamide to form 6[3-fiuoro-21-acetoxy-16amethy1-pregnene-5a-ol-3,11,20-trione, dehydrating said fluoro compound by reacting with an inorganic acid such as hydrochloric acid in an inert organic solvent such as dimethylformamide to form 6a-flu0ro-21-acetoXy-l6amethy1-A -pregnene-3,l1,20-trione, saponifying the latter to form 6a-fluoro-16u-methyl-A -pregnene-21-01-3,l1,20- trione and recovering the latter. The reaction is illustrated in Table I.

TABLE I CHzORi CHzO R EXAMPLE Preparation of 21-Acet0xy-6a-Fln0r0-]6ot-Metlzyl-A Pregnene-jJ1,20-Trione Step A.3 ethylenedioxy 21 acetoxy 16cc methyl-A -pregnene-l1,2O-dione: gm. of 21-acetoxy-16umethyl-A -pregnene-3,11,20-trione were introduced into a mixture of 60 cc. of ethylene glycol and 120 cc. of methylethyldioxolane. The starting material was obtained according to the process described in copending, commonly assigned US. patent application Serial No. 122,663 filed July 1 0, 1961. The reaction mixture was heated to 78 C. 150 mg. of p-toluene sulfonic acid were added and the major part of the solvent was distilled slowly from the reaction mixture under reduced pressure. After minutes of heating at 78 C. a residue was obtained which was suspended in two volumes of methanol containing 0.5% of pyridine. The suspension was agitated for one hour at 0 C. and the precipitated product was vacuum filtered, washed with methanol, dried, and 3-ethylenedioxy 21 acetoxy 160a methyl A pregnene- 11,20-dione was recovered. The product was recrystallized from alcohol and had a melting point of 209 C. and a specific rotation [a] =+89 (0. 1% in pyridine). The yield was 21.8 gm. (being 65.7%). The compound occurred as colorless prismatic crystals, very soluble in chloroform, slightly soluble in alcohol, acetone and benzene, and insoluble in ether and in water.

[Analysis: O flH uO molecular weight-444.54]

O I H This product is not described in the literature.

Step B.3 ethylenedioxy 5a,6oc epoxy 21 acetoxy-l6rx-methyl-pregnane-l1,20-dione: 40 cc. of ethereal solution of perphthalic acid containing 28.2 gm. of perphthalic acid per cc. of solution were very slowly added to a solution of 10 gm. of 3-ethylenedioxy-21- acetoxy-16a-methyl-A -pregnene-11,20-di0ne in 100 cc. of chloroform. The reaction mixture was agitated at room temperature for a period of five days and the product formed was then vacuum filtered. The filter cake was extracted with chloroform and the extracts were washed with dilute ammonia water and with water, dried and evaporated to dryness under vacuum. The residue was crystallized from ether containing 0.5% of pyridine and supplied 9.196 gm. (being 86.7% of 3-ethylenedioxy-5ot, 6a epoxy 21 acetoxy 160a methyl pregnane 11, 20-dione, having a melting point of 227 C. The compound was usable as such for the next step of the synthesis. For analysis, it was recrystallized from alcohol and a sample melting at 230 C. and having a specific rotation [a] =+73 (c.=i1% in pyridine) was obtained with a yield of 83%.

The product occurred in the form of colorless prisms, very soluble in chloroform, slightly soluble in alcohol, acetone and benzene, and insoluble in ether and in water.

[Analysisz 016E 0 molecular weight=460.54]

This compound is not described in the literature.

Step C.-6,8 fluoro 21 acetoxy 16a methylpregnane-5a-ol-3,11,20-trione: 7 gm. of 3-ethylenedioxy- 50:,604 epoxy 21 acetoxy 160a methyl pregnancl1,20-dione, melting at 227 C., Was introduced into 7 volumes of a mixture of 40 gm. of hydrofluoric acid and 30 gm. of dimethylformamide containing 2.5 cc. of water cooled to 25 C. The reaction mixture was agitated while being cooled externally at 25 C. for a period of one hour. The reaction mixture was poured into a mixture of water, ammonia and ice, agitated, and the 6B- fluoro 21 acetoxy 16cc methyl pregnane 5a ol- 3,11,20-trione was vacuum filtered. This compound was washed with isopropyl ether, giving a yield of 5.160 gm. (being 77.7%) of the product melting at C. and

having a specific rotation [a] +80 c.=0.5% in chloroform) which was utilizable without further purification for the next step of the synthesis. It was a colorless product, soluble in dimethylformarnide, slightly soluble in ether, and insoluble in water.

This product is not described in the literature.

Step D.6a fluoro 21 acetoxy 16a methyl- A -pregnene-3,l1,20-trione: 5 gm. of 6 3-fiuoro-21-acetoxy- 16u-methyl-pregnane-5tx-ol-3,11,20-trione were dissolved in 25 cc. of dimethylformamide and, while cooling 2.5 cc. of concentrated hydrochloric acid were added. The reaction mixture was allowed to stand for a period of seventy-two hours at room temperature, then poured into a m'mture of water and ice. The 6a-fluoro-21-acetoxyl6oc-methyl-A -pregnene-3,11,20-t1ione precipitated. The precipitate was vacuum filtered, washed with water, dissolved in 100 cc. of benzene, and subjected to chromatography through alumina with elutions with benzene containing increasing percentages of ether. Almost all of the product was eluted with benzene containing 5% of ether. The solvent was evaporated to dryness and 1.880 gm. of product (being a yield of 39.2%) were obtained and upon recrystallization from ethanol and ethyl acetate, gave a product having a melting point of 195 C. and a specific rotation [u] =+198 (c.=0.5% in chloroform). The product occurred as colorless prisms, soluble in chloroform and acetone, slightly soluble in ether, benzene and ethyl acetate, insoluble in water.

[Analysisz 014E1 1 F; molecular weight=418.5]

0, percent H, percent F, percent Calculated 68. 87 7. 47 4. 54 Found 68. 8 7. 4 4. 5

Ultraviolet spectrum: Am. (ethanol) 233 mp, e=14,400=.

CHzOR wherein R is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, an acyl radical of a mineral acid and an acyl radical of an organic carboxylic acid having 1 to 18 carbon atoms.

2. 6a fluoro a methyl A pregnene 21 ol- 3,11,20-trione.

3. 60 fluoro 21 acetoxy 16a methyl A pregnene-3,11,20trione.

4. A compound having the formula W3; QQU

wherein R is the acyl radical of an organic carboxylic acid having 1 to 18 carbon atoms and R is a lower alkylene radical.

5. 3 ethylene dioxy 21 acetoxy 16a methyl- A -pregnene-11,20-dione.

6. A compound having the formula wherein R is the acyl radical of an organic carboxylic acid having 1 to 18 carbon atoms.

9. 6/3 fiuoro 21 acetoxy 16cc methyl pregnanc- 5OL-O1-3,1 1,20-trione.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Pederson et a1. June 10, 1958 Campbell et al June 10, 1958 

1. A COMPOUND HAVING FORMULA
 6. A COMPOUND HAVING THE FORMULA 